Tigers reach one-year deal with veteran reliever Kenley Jansen in first splash signing of offseason

Chris McCosky, The Detroit News on Dec 13, 2025

Published in Baseball

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DETROIT — The Tigers have made their first splash signing of the offseason.

On Saturday, they reached an agreement on a one-year deal worth $11 million with veteran leverage reliever Kenley Jansen, per multiple reports and confirmed by the Detroit News.

The deal, which will include an option for 2027, is pending a physical.

Jansen, 38, has 476 career saves over 16 seasons, posting a 2.57 ERA and 0.962 WHIP. Only Mariano Rivera (652), Jeff Hoffman (601) and Lee Smith (478) have more saves than Jansen.

He’s been remarkably consistent and durable the last five seasons, averaging, at ages 32 through 37, 60 games, 58 innings and 33 saves.

His money pitch is a 93-mph cutter which he threw 81% of the time last year and limited hitters to a .164 average.

The only sign of his advanced age was a decrease in missed bats. His strikeout rate fell to a career-low 24% last year, with a 25.8% whiff rate. He had a 71% fly ball rate against him last year with a career-worst 91.5-mph average exit velocity and 44.6% hard-hit rate.

The Tigers hit three homers against him in a six-run inning back on May 2. After that outing, though, Jansen locked in. Over his final 53 games, he posted 23 saves in 24 attempts with a 1.97 ERA. He didn't give up a run in his final 10 outings.

Under manager AJ Hinch, the Tigers haven’t deployed a traditional closer and that’s not likely to change. Jansen will join Will Vest and Kyle Finnegan, who agreed to a two-year deal worth $19 million Tuesday night, in the back end of the Tigers’ bullpen.